illinois river bridge

Take a hike along the I&M Canal, turn left at the train trestle, hike along the tracks to the river and you will find this bridge.

riverside family

illinois river

We have had a rainy spring, so I thought it best not to walk on this dock while the river was a bit higher than usual.

in a quiet moment

winter barn

Another favorite spot along the I & M Canal. This beautiful barn looks great all year long.

ice pies?

Not quite sure what else to call those ice disks. This is the first of three images taken at the Aux Sable access on the historic I&M Canal. The Illinois Michigan Canal is a 96 mile canal that connects the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. This is the first of three images taken at the locks at Aux Sable.

the not so bleak

To follow up the previous post (bleak), here is a winter moment with a different kind of beauty. A cold, crisp, serene sunrise along the banks of the Illinois River. Here at home we are just digging out from an apocalyptic snow storm (frighteningly names “Linus”), so I will visit this spot early in the morning to see a new, wintry sunrise. I love this beautiful world.

january river

I have been enjoying the relatively warmer weather for January in the Chicago area (34 degrees is like a heat wave!) by taking some bike rides along the Illinois River. After being rather inactive, I am looking forward to some more exercise and racking up the miles!